Lewis Hamilton’s sensational transfer to Ferrari in 2025 has been confirmed with the British racer releasing a heartfelt message thanking Mercedes after his spell spanning over a decade.
Reviews broke of the seven-time world champion’s impending transfer on Thursday morning, with Hamilton set to see out this 12 months at Mercedes earlier than making the leap to his new facet.
The information confirms Mail Sport’s world unique from final Might that Ferrari have been in talks with Hamilton and ready to supply him a £40million king’s ransom to affix.
In what’s being billed the most important transfer within the sport since Hamilton’s swapped McLaren for Mercedes in 2013, the 39-year-old will launch one final bid to win his eighth world title, placing him away from Ferrari legend Michael Schumacher.
Ferrari confirmed the information on Thursday afternoon, with Hamilton, who will say goodbye to his £50m-a-year contract with Mercedes, set to associate Charles Leclerc having signed a ’multi-year contract’, additionally bringing and finish to Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari profession.
Lewis Hamilton will drive for Ferrari from 2025 in a bombshell transfer, it has been confirmed
The transfer brings an finish to his 13-year stick with Mercedes, the place he has received six world titles
Hamilton is ready to drive alongside Charles Leclerc (left), who has beforehand mentioned Hamilton would make a super team-mate
Ferrari mentioned in an announcement on social media: ’Scuderia Ferrari is happy to announce that Lewis Hamilton will likely be becoming a member of the group in 2025, on a multi-year contract.’
Hamilton is at present on £50m-a-year at Mercedes, the place he has received six of his seven world championships and beforehand expressed his want to stay for the remainder of his time within the sport.
However the automobile has struggled over the previous few years, with Hamilton not profitable a race since controversially dropping the world title to Max Verstappen on the final lap of the ultimate race of the 2021 season.
Mercedes confirmed Hamilton has activated a launch choice in his contract, which was signed final 12 months.
Staff boss Toto Wolff has mentioned lately that the group’s newest construct ’appears like a automobile for the primary time in two years’, however their supposed enhancements have come too little, too late, and they’ll lose their key man after this 12 months.
Hamilton is ready to exchange Carlos Sainz on the group, who will depart 4 years after becoming a member of from McLaren
The information was confirmed in an announcement launched by Mercedes on the corporate web site on Wednesday night
Ferrari additionally revealed the information on social media on Wednesday, revealing Hamilton had signed a ’multi-year’ deal
Hamilton’s transfer may also see him re-unite with long-term buddy Fred Vasseur, who’s Ferrari’s new group boss.
The 55-year-old has a particular bond with Hamilton, so it can come as no shock that the Briton is eager to work with the Frenchman once more.
Hamilton received Components Three and GP2 (now Components Two) championships with Vasseur’s ART group in 2005 and 2006 earlier than making a spectacular Components One debut with McLaren in 2007.
’I speak to him at each GP, he raced for me 20 years in the past and we’re nonetheless shut,’ Vasseur, who joined Ferrari in January 2023, instructed Italy’s Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper final season.
’Clearly, in the event that they (the media) see us collectively within the paddock, there’s numerous fuss, however the relationship has remained.’
Hamilton received six of his seven world titles at Mercedes and had expressed his want to complete his profession with the group
His partnership with Leclerc has raised pleasure ranges for the transfer, with the Monaco-born driver beforehand saying Hamilton would make the perfect team-mate.
Dubbed a future world champion himself, Leclerc is 13 years Hamilton’s junior, and has received 5 races in his profession, securing 30 podiums and 15 pole positions in that point.
Hamilton, in the meantime, has received 103 races in his profession out of 332 he has participated in, leading to seven world titles – the joint-most alongside Schumacher.
He got here closest to profitable his eighth title in 2021, main on the final lap of the ultimate race earlier than he was overtaken however eventual champion and arch rival Max Verstappen to overlook out on the championship.
The transfer to Ferrari will nevertheless current a recent alternative to maneuver away from Schumacher on the high of the standings, with Ferrari seemingly additional down the road in the case of competing with Purple Bull.
Hamilton mentioned of his departure: ’I’ve had an incredible 11 years with this group and I am so pleased with what we now have achieved collectively. Mercedes has been a part of my life since I used to be 13 years previous. It is a spot the place I’ve grown up, so making the choice to go away was one of many hardest choices I’ve ever needed to make. However the time is correct for me to take this step and I am excited to be taking over a brand new problem.
’I will likely be perpetually grateful for the unbelievable help of my Mercedes household, particularly Toto for his friendship and management and I wish to end on a excessive collectively. I’m 100% dedicated to delivering the perfect efficiency I can this season and making my final 12 months with the Silver Arrows, one to recollect.’
Hamilton mentioned he will likely be ’perpetually grateful’ for his time at Mercedes however admitted ’the time is correct’ to maneuver on
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff added that he knew ’our partnership would come to a pure finish in some unspecified time in the future’
Staff principal Toto Wolff added: ’By way of a team-driver pairing, our relationship with Lewis has change into probably the most profitable the game has seen, and that’s one thing we are able to look again on with satisfaction; Lewis will at all times be an necessary a part of Mercedes motorsport historical past. Nonetheless, we knew our partnership would come to a pure finish in some unspecified time in the future, and that day has now come.
’We settle for Lewis’s determination to hunt a recent problem, and our alternatives for the longer term are thrilling to ponder. However for now, we nonetheless have one season to go, and we’re targeted on going racing to ship a powerful 2024.’
Sainz revealed he’ll go away the group on the finish of 2024 on the again of the information.
’Following at present’s information, Scuderia Ferrari and myself will half methods on the finish of 2024,’ he mentioned in an announcement.
’We nonetheless have an extended season forward of us and, like at all times, I’ll give my very best for the group and for the Tifosi all around the globe.
’Information about my future will likely be introduced in the end.’
Sainz revealed he’ll go away the group on the finish of the 12 months, with an announcement on his future to be made ’in the end’
Ferrari have been long-term admirers of Hamilton and held talks with him to affix the group in Might final 12 months
In the meantime, F1 pundits have given a extra thought of tackle the massive information.
Martin Brundle mentioned: ’I’m so wanting ahead to this. We’ve requested him for years about it and he appeared nailed on at Merc for all times, and at all times dismissive of transferring. Hamilton and Leclerc in scarlet, that’s a narrative.’
David Croft added: ’Lewis Hamilton to Ferrari! At all times thought it will occur someday, lastly it can and it appears as early as 2025.
’Seismic transfer simply because it was when Lewis joined Mercedes and like then I don’t see the negatives. However wow, undoubtedly the most important switch on switch deadline day!’
Former driver Karun Chandhok defined that the romanticism of a remaining world title with Ferrari was too good to show down.
’I used to be attempting to know “The place’s the logic in a Ferrari transfer?” Maybe there isn’t any… Lewis has more cash than he might ever spend, hasn’t received a race in over 2 years & perhaps his coronary heart wished a brand new problem.
’To win an eighth title in a Ferrari could be an unbelievable legacy!’